Manchester United: Rooney calls this target ‘a great player’ – is he worth all that money?

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney spoke about the Bayern players before the game on Wednesday and paid particular reference to their midfield. He said:

They’ve got [Franck] Ribéry, Robben and Toni Kroos who are great players but Lahm is the one who makes everything tick. He is the one you have to stop.

Manchester United were said to be negotiating for one of those players late on Wednesday evening as attention turns from this season to who the club will sign this summer. Toni Kroos may become a Manchester United player and some reports are suggesting that the fee could be as high as £40m.

But is he worth it? Rooney picks out Lahm as the really special talent. But Kroos is highly regarded by Wazza also.

Based on the two legs against Manchester United Kroos is a player who rarely cedes possession. But nor do his team mates. If you put Micheal Carrick in the Bayern side he would never give the ball away either. but is he worth £40m in today’s market? Even if he was 24 would he be worth that money?

Of course what Kroos has that Carrick doesn’t is a devastating shot on him. But, with only three goals this season, he’s not yet a consistent goal scoring midfielder. In his defence he can play in several roles in the midfield and did the anchorman job with merit on Wednesday.

Manchester United are desperate for central midfielders and Kroos is definitely a good one. But at £40m we would like to see a match winner joining the club.

Kroos’s match winning capabilities, and worth to any team, will be gauged not only on his passing and tackling ability, but his ratio of goals to games. If he can regularly score 15 a season, like a Gerrard in his pomp or a Toure, he’s worth the money. But if he continues to have largely goalless seasons £40m begins to look like a bit of a desperate bid from Manchester United.